With the advent of digital video broadcasting (DVB) many new services and/or capabilities are becoming available, and will continue to become available, to DVB users. Naturally, most of these new features will be provided via software modules running on the user's DVB receiver. However, due to variations in hardware, the number of possible modules, the numerous possible combinations of installed modules, and intermittent upgrades, the number of possible software combinations that could run on an individual receiver are limitless. While this limitless variety is desired and anticipated by DVB user's, because it allows them to have enhanced services individually tailored. It has the potential to cause increased costs, reduced reliability, and increased maintenance difficulties, because the growing variety will create increased system management complexity.
Ensuring that users' DVB systems operate easily and reliably is of special concern to party responsible for the DVB system, e.g. cable companies, because they are ultimately responsible for the condition of the user's equipment and the whole of the DVB system. This, for example, is in contrast to personal computers where individual users are responsible for the maintenance and operation of their systems. Accordingly, a cost effective, reliable, and easily maintained system for providing users with the varied and personalized services they desire is needed.